How to Create a Wedding Day Timeline Your Vendors Will Love

You’ve said “yes,” popped the bubbly, and maybe even tried on a wedding dress or two. Your Pinterest board is looking chef’s kiss, you’ve locked in your dream team of vendors, and perhaps you've sorted your guest list or even sent out wedding invitations - go you! But now it's time for one of the less exciting aspects of wedding planning - your wedding day timeline.

Whilst it may not sound as fun as cake tasting or dress shopping with your bridal party, your wedding timeline is the magic glue that keeps your big day from descending into chaos. A well-planned timeline doesn’t just help your day run smoothly - it makes your vendors very happy. And trust us, happy vendors = a happier you.

If you're wondering how to create a wedding schedule that will have your vendors telling everyone you're their dream clients, then read on for our guide to creating the perfect wedding day timeline!

Start With Your Ceremony Time

Whether you’re saying your vows at lunchtime or at sunset, a typical wedding day timeline hinges on the timing of your wedding ceremony. Once you’ve nailed down your ceremony start time, work backwards. How long will it take to get there? How long do your hair and makeup artists need? When should your photographer arrive? Reverse engineering your big day makes for a much less stressful wedding morning!

Top tip: Your beauty team will always need more time than you think. Build in buffer time and trust their judgment if they suggest starting at what feels like an ungodly hour. No one wants their hair to still be in rollers when the guests arrive.

Pad Your Timeline

We get it - you’re trying to create the smoothest, most efficient wedding day known to humankind, but real life rarely plays along. Hairpins go missing, Grannies need the toilet, and kids have tantrums, and naps, and more tantrums. And when that happens, you’ll be very glad you built in some wiggle room.

Add 10-15 minutes here and there throughout the day, especially around key points like getting dressed and travelling to your venue or the ceremony. If your ceremony and reception aren't at the same venue, allow yourself a generous buffer to accommodate your entire wedding party's relocation. You’re not just buying time; you’re buying a less stressful experience overall.

Top tip: Running over by five minutes can have a domino effect - first your makeup team arrives late, and before you know it, your photographer’s missing out on golden hour, and your caterer is stressing. Time buffers are your best friend.

Think About The Light

If you’ve hired a photographer who makes your heart flutter more than your fiancé, then you’ll want to give them the goods - aka light. Natural light is your photographer’s best friend, so it pays to consider the best time of day for photos at your ceremony location and reception space.

Golden hour is one of the most beautiful moments for those romantic portraits, while midday light can be harsh and unflattering. If you’ve a specific location in mind for your group photos or family portraits, be sure to discuss with your photographer when the light will work best for them, and plan your schedule accordingly.

Top tip: If you want couples photos after the ceremony, make sure to carve out at least 30 minutes - ideally 45. Don’t worry, you’ll still have time to enjoy cocktail hour - by this point, you’ll definitely deserve a glass of prosecco and a canapé (or three).

Coordinate with Your Caterer and DJ

There’s nothing worse than the band striking up for the first dance and realising that half your guests have wandered off in search of the bar. Getting the flow of the meal, speeches, cake cutting, and first dance right is a delicate balance, and your caterer and DJ or band need to be in sync.

Share your timeline with both your caterer and your entertainment team well in advance. They’ll help ensure that speeches don’t start just as the food is being plated, and that the dance floor is packed when the band drops your favourite track.

Top tip: Group speeches together in one go if you can. Photographers and videographers in particular hate the trend for speeches between courses as it means they don’t get a chance for a proper dinner break themselves, and you’ll want to keep them fuelled for the evening antics ahead!

Let Your Vendors Help You

Spoiler alert: You don’t need to create your timeline alone. In fact, most vendors prefer to help you shape it. Your photographer knows how long they need for family photos, a professional wedding planner knows a thing or two about wedding reception timelines, and your caterer knows when to fire the food so it’s cooked to perfection in time for dinner service.

Don’t be afraid to ask for your vendors’ input! Pull together everyone’s suggestions and let them chime in. You’ll feel like a professional planner, hopefully sipping prosecco while answering emails like the wedding planning pro that you are.

Top tip: A shared Google Doc or PDF version of the timeline that’s updated and distributed a week before the wedding will win you eternal vendor love and ensure everyone's on the same page. For bonus points, add everyone’s social media handles so that everyone can tag other vendors in posts after the big day!

A Timeline Your Vendors Will Love = A Wedding You’ll Love

At the end of the day, your timeline isn’t just a schedule; it’s the foundation of your entire wedding day - the quiet backbone that allows all the special, sparkly, emotional moments to unfold without stress. When your vendors know where to be, what’s happening, and when they need to do their thing, that’s when the magic happens.

It really is worth taking the time to build your own timeline that works for both you and your vendors. It’s all about planning ahead, asking for input, allowing buffer time, sharing it widely, and then letting go. Once the big day arrives, it’s time to trust your team, breathe, and enjoy every last second of your wedding day.